Signal Strength/Level vs Quality

[Bal]

I've had my setup for a long time and still the old 80cm round arm dish with twin LNB holder on 19e and 13e.

I've just replaced the LNB's on them and got :confused: about what the Signal Strength/Level vs Quality was about.

On average say 11661V on 13e is 31% Strength and the Quality is 100%, but I can't work out if that is good or bad?

This is the same with 19e when 10772 H is 40% Strength and 100% Quality?

Can someone answer what the two indicators mean?

Thanks

[Magwitch]

Signal strength is a measure of the received power that your LNB's amplifier is sending down your cable, in other words the gain after taking into account attenuation (cable losses etc.)

Signal quality is an indication of the bit error rate (the higher the quality reading, the lower the BER).

I have a longish run of cable to my receivers, and the signal strength readings can be quite low on some satellite TP's, but the quality readings will be high enough for picture lock because of my using a large enough dish and good low-noise LNB.

Magwitch

[Eugenie]

The signal strength is the main analog input level.

The signal quality level indicates the quality of the digital signal.
There are many ways to represent the quality of the digital signal, here are a few commonly used ones;
-Signal to noise ratio (S/N)
-Channel bit error ratio (CBER) -error ratio before error correction
-Viterbi bit error ratio (VBER) -error ratio post viterbi(pV)/error correction
-Modulation error ratio (MER)

etc etc

Unfortunately, most manufacturers choose the idiotic idea to present signal values in percent. Your quality value is probably the S/N, CBER or VBER....presented in a percentage value.

As for the signal vaules, the signal strength basically means you have an input level (of course needed), it´s not really important whether or not it is very high as long as it is present. the quality reading is the important one, if there is no signal quality, then there is no lock of any digital carrier. The higher signal the better.

Also a tip, never compare signal values with anyone else, especially these dumb percent values, only use the values as a reference to your own system.
Also, don´t forget that the quality level needed for trouble free reception depends on the forward error correction value used.

[Bal]

Thanks for the info.

Does it mean my reception is good being it says 100% on Quality?

My Other receivers says 97% so it explains why you say, never compare.

Onething I found though , my stupid BT HomeHub is interfering with some TP's :eek:

I'm get No or Bad signal on things like Channel 4+1 and by fluke I turned my HomeHub off by mistake and the channels went clear :eek:

May end up putting my other router back.

Thanks

[Eugenie]

100%/maxvalue is of course excellent. How low your signal indicator will go before getting blockage or total loss of picture depends on how your quality meter is calibrated (varies from receiver to receiver) and which forward error correction (FEC) value is used.
A DVB carrier with a high FEC value (for ex 1/2) will demand less signal quality and vice versa with a low value (for ex 7/8).

As for your interference problem, sorry, can´t help you there.

[Bal]

As for your interference problem, sorry, can´t help you there.

Thanks

Well with all this wireless technology it's no wonder it can interfere.

If you don;t know what it is, it's a Wireless Router with a home phone where you can make calls over the broadband line.

Also you can connect other wireless stuff through it.

I may disconnect the phone from it to see if it sorts problem, otherwise I will swap the whole thing with my older non wireless phone one.

Thanks again